Jesse Draper Unplugged – Getting Real About What it Takes to Succeed With The CEO & Founder of Halogen Ventures

February 24, 2021 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Jesse Draper is back for an encore! She was on the podcast back in 2018 and this time I had the pleasure of sharing her wisdom with the members of my private, online membership community, ALIGN online. It was SO good. I’m calling it, “Jesse Draper Unplugged.” She’s just raised $21M to invest in the next generation of female-founded businesses and on this episode, she takes a deep dive with us!

Jesse started her career in the entertainment industry and along the way discovered she had a “superpower” or maybe it was “x-ray vision” when it comes to knowing what it takes to be a winning idea in business. She started focusing on building an early stage venture capital fund focused on female-founded consumer technologies, which led to the creation of Halogen Ventures.

Jesse talks how she found her footing in the venture capital world, her best tips on pitching ideas to investors, the importance of insane optimism, and why you should always ask for feedback.

If you’re looking for investors or bootstrapping, this episode is for you.

You can be what you can see.” – Jesse Draper

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

For women, we are taught to give away money before we are taught to take risk with our money and that’s a problem.” – Jesse Draper

Show Notes:

How Jesse went from the entertainment industry to the venture capital world
Everyone suffers from Imposter Syndrome and why you need to just keep going
Her Insider “SECRETS” on pitching investors – PURE GOLD!
Why Jesse decided to focus on female-founders and her perspective on female-founder disruptors
3 Must-Haves she looks for before giving the Green Light
The BIGGEST challenge for female founders (and her expert advice on how to overcome it)
Why asking for FEEDBACK is key
The Type of LEADER you have to become to succeed – BRILLIANT
The Essential ingredient to every business (you may be surprised!)

Bootstrap as long as you can.” – Jesse Draper

Connect with Jesse Draper:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Halogen Ventures

You can’t do anything alone.” – Jesse Draper

Melissa Vitelli – From Fashion Photographer to Co-founder & CEO of Jar Goods

February 17, 2021 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

My guest, Melissa Vitelli, had a successful career in fashion photography but she found her herself being drawn to the food industry through her hobby of vegetable gardening. She joined together with her sister-in-law Lauren and Jar Goods was born. They initially found success at Farmer’s Markets and this led them directly into the arms of Whole Foods.

On today’s show, Melissa talks about how she and her sister-in-law decided to take her father-in-law’s famous tomato sauce recipe and turn it into a thriving business. She shares how she brought her small side business into grocery stores across the country, some of her most pivotal moments as an entrepreneur, how she’s dealt with the challenges of entrepreneurship and more.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

People who need quick foods, should not be relegated to low quality.” – Melissa Vitelli

Show Notes:

What it was like to move from Fashion photography to the FOOD industry
How their decision to go with mom-and-pop stores first before hitting the Big Guns of Whole Foods and AMAZON paid off
Why beginning in FARMERS MARKETS was their Golden Ticket
WHEN she realized she was on to something with her business
The moment she decided to add more flavors to the mix – she shares it’s the key to creating a BRAND Block
She’s learned it’s all about being CONSUMER CENTRIC
Her experience at the CHOBANI Food Incubator
Why Jar Goods decided to try a subscription model
Her perspective on why you shouldn’t listen to other people’s ADVICE
Where she Finds her Joy
And much, much morel

In order to do it, it doesn’t matter what industry, you have to be very risk tolerant.” – Melissa Vitelli

Connect with Melissa Vitelli:

Facebook | Instagram | Jar Goods

The creative juices are not going to flow if you force them.” – Melissa Vitelli

Jennifer Saxton – Founder & CEO, Tot Squad, From Cleaning Dirty Car Seats to Partnering With Walmart and Amazon

February 3, 2021 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

From cleaning dirty car seats to partnering with Walmart and Amazon, she’s out to revolutionize the Baby Registry Business. It all started with cleaning dirty (Eew..) car seats.

My guest Today, Jennifer Saxton, is zeroed in on the millennial mindset. “They don’t want more ‘stuff,’ they want more help, more experiences.”

With that knowledge, she created Tot Squad, a business that connects parents with the experts they need from pregnancy until early childhood.

It all started with Jennifer driving around in a van cleaning dirty car seats and today, she’s expanded the business locking arms with giants such as Walmart and Amazon.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Finding the right people on your team is always the hardest part.” – Jennifer Saxton

Show Notes:

How Jennifer honed in on what millennials VALUE Most and created a business around it
How she CONVINCED retailers not to take a cut of her profits (Brilliant)
How Tot Squad changed, emerged and EXPANDED as Jennifer became a mother
Jennifer’s mentality on getting into stores and why that was a WIN-WIN for everyone
What it was like for a slice of Tot Squad to get ACQUIRED during the Pandemic
The incident that left her on the side of the road IN TEARS
How her LEADERSHIP style has evolved
Her advice on WHY you should keep your DAY JOB (PURE Gold)
The advice she wished she would have had on her FIRST DAY as an entrepreneur

When you’re an entrepreneur you can’t work this hard if you don’t like the people that you work with and you don’t like what you’re doing.” – Jennifer Saxton

Connect with Jennifer Saxton:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tot Squad

With my team, I really focus on honing in on what your strengths are.” – Jennifer Saxton

Emily Groden – How Watching a Netflix Food Show Led This Attorney Away From The Courtroom & Into The Kitchen

January 20, 2021 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

My guest today, Emily Groden, Founder & CEO of Evergreen, typically worked late at her law office in Chicago most nights, however, one evening she found herself at home watching a food show on Netflix.

What happened next changed the entire course of her career…and it involved sending a “cold” email to someone.

Fast forward to today, Evergreen, launched in early March 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, and is now in more than 49 Whole Foods locations in the Midwest, as well as many other Midwest stores.

On today’s show, Emily tells us all about her emotional journey of being in a start-up, why she started to distrust processed food, and how the show Chef’s Table changed her life. She talks about the importance of endurance, how her professional swimming background helped her in her life, and much more.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

I feel really lucky to have worked in a start-up environment prior to starting Evergreen myself.” – Emily Groden

Show Notes:

The story of how a late night “COLD” email changed her career trajectory
Why you should pay attention to CLUES (she had them along the way but ignored them)
The QUESTION you need to ask yourself before every business move
The story of the LAUNCH moment (a paper bag, paper plates, utensils and her toaster)
The QUICK decision she made when ALL Manufacturers said “NO”
Simple, NO-COST Tips on gaining Brand Awareness in a Start-up
How she gets through the really tough days – she shares the “Emotional Journey U”
Her Best ADVICE on just getting started (it involves a homemade jam story)

Building a start-up business is not a sprint, is a marathon.” – Emily Groden

Connect with Emily Groden:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Evergreen

Define your principles on day one and then stick to them.” – Emily Groden

Jean Freeman – CEO of Zambezi & One of the Biggest Female-Owned Businesses in Los Angeles

December 2, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Jean Freeman is at the helm of one of the largest certified female-owned advertising agencies AND one of the biggest female-owned businesses in Los Angeles.

Jean has turned Zambezi into a thriving advertising agency with a revenue of projected 75 million dollars. She’s also become a leading advocate for the advancement of women in business.

On today’s show, Jean is going to share what being a CEO in a busy city like LA really means, her best productivity tips, how she manages a growing business while being a mom to two children under the age of 13, the importance of creating a sustainable business, and her criteria for decision-making in her business. She also talks about her business experience with NBA legend Kobe Bryant and the moment she was named a “Working Mother of the Year” by She Runs It!

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

In women’s entrepreneurship, we get to rewrite the rules of entrepreneurs.” – Jean Freeman

Show Notes:

Her business partnership with NBA legend Kobe Bryant
Why Corporate America does not support the needs of women in the workforce
How entrepreneurship runs in Jean’s family and what she has learned
The moment she recognized she was on to something with Zambezi
The benefits that come about when kids see their parents working
Tips on creating a sustainable business
The BEST strategy is always Actionable
Her advice on decision-making
Why Alignment is important in all aspects of business
And much, much moree

You are going to make some wrong calls, but that is ok, I think it’s more about how you respond to wrong calls.” – Jean Freeman

Connect with Jean Freeman:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Zambezi

Align yourself properly with the types of businesses that will be long-term partners.” – Jean Freeman

Mignon Francois – How She Turned $5 into $10 Million as the CEO & Founder of The Cupcake Collection

November 18, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Mignon Francois on She's Got Moxie with Joy Chudacoff

My guest today, Mignon Francois, CEO & Founder of The Cupcake Collection, is a very enthusiastic and positive entrepreneur who turned a recipe that she received from her grandmother into a $10 million business.

Mignon was a stay-at-home mom who was tired of her children not being able to go on field trips because she did not have the extra money. At the time, she had no bakery experience, but she took her grandmother’s recipe, spent $5 on ingredients and the rest they say is history. Mignon’s business turned out to be a much bigger success than she could ever imagine.

On today’s show, Mignon shares the story of how The Cupcake Collection began its humble beginnings. She talks about the challenges that she has faced in her company, her “sampling” strategy, her actions steps to success, and more.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Overnight success takes 10 years.” – Mignon Francois

Show Notes:

The moment Mignon decided to turn an old recipe into a NEW idea
What MOTIVATED her to keep going every day despite the challenges
How she has grown and scaled her business from a start-up to being recognized as one of the TOP cupcake bakeries in the US with multiple locations
Why a “sampling” strategy is important for a product-based business
The really big gamble Mignon made as she bet on her success
What it has been like to maintain business during the pandemic

My action step was to stop waiting and start doing.” – Mignon Francois

Connect with Mignon Francois:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | The Cupcake Collection

Everybody wants to be great, but nobody wants to get up at dawn.” – Mignon Francois

Cindy Eckert – Creator of “The Little Pink Pill” (Female Viagra) and Selling Her Company For 1 Billion Dollars

November 11, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

When she realized that there were 26 medications for men’s pleasure and not one single solution for women, my guest Cindy Eckert, thought “this is Ridiculous!”

Cindy set out to create “the little pink pill” (currently the #1 prescribed treatment for low sexual desire in women).

Cindy is the true definition of what I call “moxie.” Not only is she the creator of the pink pill and the founder of The Pink Ceiling, but she has also built and sold two pharmaceutical companies (including Sprout Pharmaceuticals, which she sold for more than $1 BILLION – yes, that’s a B, Ladies).

Called by Fortune as a “tireless force of nature,” Cindy lets us in on some intimate details of her life and entrepreneurial path. She talks about her unique upbringing, how she worked to overcome the stigma around women’s pleasure while creating the Pink Pill, her tip to taking advantage of life’s opportunities, her thoughts on the pandemic, and more.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

26 medications for men and not a single one for women is ridiculous.” – Cindy Eckert

Show Notes:

How Cindy went from a Corporate Career to a Block Buster Success as an Entrepreneur
Why it’s essential to do what “Lights up your Soul” (it wasn’t about MONEY for Cindy)
The moment Cindy realized she had an opportunity to develop the first pharmaceutical product for women’s SEXUAL pleasure
How 2020 has RESET the entrepreneurial landscape for women – in a GOOD Way!
Why it’s important to be SPECIFIC in your biz contracts and how that one piece catapulted her to a whole new level in advocating for women
Where Success truly ORIGINATES from
Details on both The Pink Ceiling & The Pinkubator and how they are helping women elevate their entrepreneurial dreams
The most important mindset that Cindy has adopted in order to accelerate her journey as a woman in business

Success does not come from having all of the answers, it comes from having the courage.” – Cindy Eckert

Connect with Cindy Eckert:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | The Pink Ceiling

Relentlessness is just the belief that you can get back up and you can find the way.” – Cindy Eckert

Kerrigan Behrens – From Wall Street to CBD with the Co-Founder of Sagely Naturals

October 21, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

My guest today, Kerrigan Behrens, co-founder of the CBD company, Sagely Naturals, shares her entrepreneurial journey from finance to CBD.

Kerrigan started her career in the financial market on Wall Street. Around this time, she developed persistent back pain that doctors couldn’t seem to diagnose. A friend told her about CBD and she became interested in trying it for pain relief. At first she doubted that CBD would be able to help her, but after trying some CBD honey (and feeling pain relief within 30-minutes), she changed her mind. The experience led Kerrigan to leave her career on Wall Street and embrace entrepreneurship and co-found Sagely Naturals.

On today’s show, Kerrigan shares how she and her co-founder bootstrapped their business with only 30k and how they made their business profitable in just 6 months. She shares the difference between CBD and THC, the medicinal benefits of CBD, and the first steps to create an approachable consumer brand, the importance of resilience, and much more.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

We knew before we even started the company that there was a market for it.” – Kerrigan Behrens

Show Notes:

The FIRST step to create an approachable consumer brand
How she took the pain she was having and turned it into a passion
How she and her co-founder bootstrapped the business with 30K and made a PROFIT in just 6 months
She’s got Big INFLUENCERS like Cameron Diaz and Zoe Saldana loving the product
She realized that CBD needed a MAKEOVER and she was excited to take that on
The difference between CBD and THC
How Kerrigan took advantage of starting a company in Los Angeles
How they became the Top SELLING CBD Topical product in the country (they are in over 12,000 retail outlets now)
The key characteristics that have gotten Kerrigan through challenging times (while giving birth to her first child during the pandemic)
We talk a lot about the BEST Books we’ve read – the ones that are “real changemakers”
And much, much more…

For every success there are multiple failures.” – Kerrigan Behrens

Connect with Kerrigan Behrens:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Sagely Naturals

Perfection is just not possible, so live with that realization and just take steps to make progress as you go.” – Kerrigan Behrens

Mikaila Ulmer – CEO & Founder of Me & The Bees Lemonade (She’s Celebrating a Decade in Business and She’s Only 15)

October 14, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

My guest today, Mikaila Ulmer, is back for interview #2! She was originally on the show back in August 2018. This is a special year for Mikaila because she is not only celebrating a decade in business but she’s also published her first book, Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid!

With her very positive “can-do” attitude, Mikaila tells us how getting stung by a bee twice in one week, led her on a journey to understand the importance of bees to the environment. Ultimately, this became the gateway for her to enter her lemonade into a local business fair. (Today, Me & the Bees Lemonade is sold in over 1,500 stores nationwide!)

She also shares her Shark Tank experience, as well as the moment she had to understand the legal side of entrepreneurship and the impact it can have on your brand.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

Create a product that appeals to the most people, you can’t please everyone, so don’t try. Stay true to your mission and focus on helping your mission.” – Mikaila Ulmer

Show Notes:

How showcasing her lemonade in a local business fair when she was 4-years-old led to having her lemonade in over 1,500 stores today
Her simple, easy, first steps to get the word out about Me & the Bees Lemonade
She reminds us to always be minding our ABC’s! (Always Be Curious) This ONE attribute got her into her first restaurant.
What it was like to be a contestant on Shark Tank (her parents initially said NO when she was offered a spot) but her persistence paid off!
The importance of a hand-written “Thank You” note
Her “Face on the Bottle” moment and how that impacted her brand
What it’s like to be in online school during the pandemic while running a business
Understanding the “legal” side of entrepreneurship came early (she was only 8-years-old) and the important lesson she learned. “Lose the battle. Win the War.”

It’s not just about the products you sell, but the stories you tell.” – Mikaila Ulmer

Connect with Mikaila Ulmer:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Me & the Bees

Don’t be discouraged by life’s little stings, get back up and spread your wings!” – Mikaila Ulmer

Lizanne Falsetto – Founder of thinkThin®, Pink Talented Angels, and a World Renowned Pioneer in the Health & Wellness Industry

October 7, 2020 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Lizanne Falsetto, Founder & Former CEO of thinkThin® is back! She was a guest on the show in 2018 and a lot has happened in the last two years! Lizanne sold her company for 217M (yep, million) so you’ll want to listen-in to all of her many gold nuggets in this episode!

Lizanne is a world-renowned pioneer in the health & wellness retail food space. Throughout her 20 year run with thinkThin®, she initiated the “gluten-free” conversation and developed the first high protein/sugar free product in that category. Lizanne has consistently been ahead of the times in identifying market and industry trends.

On today’s episode of ‘She’s Got Moxie’, Lizanne talks about her new organization, Pink Talented Angels (PTA) and how to find opportunities in a crisis, the importance of meditation, her tips to combining the emotional, mental and physical parts of your life to reach success, and much more.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

The best brands really come from the authenticity of how they started.” – Lizanne Falsetto

Show Notes:

The most important QUESTION to ask yourself if you’re ready to scale (she should know; she sold her company for 217M)
How she got the idea to start thinkThin (it was based out of her own NEED)
The MOMENT she knew it was time to sell
Her BEST ADAVICE for women who are looking to build a business with the goal of selling
The brand new organization she has started to support WOMEN entrepreneurs
HOW to Build a Solid Brand During the Pandemic
Why Your STORY Matters so much, especially NOW
Advice she hears in the start-up arena that she DOES NOT agree with
Why EMOTIONS are good for decision-making
How she gets through the really TOUGH Days – PURE GOLD
The #1 ingredient you need to become a Strong LEADER
The advice she wished she would have had before that first trip to Tokyo as a model

When you run a career for 25 years, you make a lot of mistakes, and the best way to teach, is by giving the entrepreneur the messaging of what you did wrong.” – Lizanne Falsetto

Connect with Lizanne Falsetto:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Lizanne Falsetto

You can stand in your feminine power as a female and still be heard.” – Lizanne Falsetto

Show Notes:

Connect with Jesse Draper:

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Connect with Melissa Vitelli:

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Connect with Jennifer Saxton:

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Connect with Emily Groden:

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Connect with Jean Freeman:

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Connect with Mignon Francois:

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Connect with Cindy Eckert:

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Connect with Kerrigan Behrens:

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Connect with Mikaila Ulmer:

Show Notes:

Connect with Lizanne Falsetto:

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